News

Yard Waste News!

On August 27, 2015 the Chicago Legal Clinic sent a demand letter to the City of Chicago on behalf of the Chicago Recycling Coalition and numerous other environmental and for-profit organizations demanding that the City comply with the Illinois Environmental Protection Act which banned the landfilling of landscape waste in 1990.

On November 19, 2015 WBEZ featured a story by Shannon Heffernan entitled Is Chicago Breaking a State Yard Waste Law?

It’s against the law in Illinois to put yard waste, like leaves and sticks, into a landfill. But because of choices made by the city of Chicago, that is exactly where a lot of our yard waste is ending up.

A video from the City of Chicago’s website explains that residents should place yard waste in a paper bag and put it in the alley. The video clearly says special trucks drive through the alleys on a regular schedule looking for yard bags.

On November 20, 2015, DNA Info’s Alex Nitkin ran a followup entitled You Have to Call 311 to Have Yard Waste Picked Up, City Says

City garbage trucks will drive past bags of yard waste unless their owner first calls 311 to arrange a pickup, an official said Thursday.

The Department of Streets and Sanitation is disputing a Thursday WBEZ report that said garbage trucks were picking up yard waste, which would violate state law by bringing leaves and branches to a landfill.

“If someone wants to have their yard waste picked up, all they have to do is leave it in a separate bag from the rest of their trash, then it’s as easy as calling 311,” Streets and Sanitation spokeswoman Jennifer Martinez said. “Then we’ll send out a separate truck to have it picked up and composted.” WBEZ, however, has a photo of a Streets and San worker putting yard waste in a garbage truck.

My Building Doesn’t Recycle!
Action Alert for Chicagoans! Go here and find more details on how to very easily report your building. In doing so, you can FINALLY help get an easier way to keep your recyclable waste out of landfills!

Talkin’ Trash with the Chicago Recycling Coalition

By Carter O’Brien, featuring Adam Minter, author of Junkyard Planet and a Shanghai-based reporter for Bloomberg View. 

Click on the link to learn what is really happening with your used pizza boxes and iPhones, insights regarding the movement to cans over bottles , and what we can all do about it.

You Have a Three Week Window to Get Yard Waste Picked Up in Chicago

City of Chicago offers a short timeframe within which residents may request yard waste pickup.

Had It With Red Plum? You’re Not Alone

Class action suit against the Chicago Tribune alleges  that unwanted deliveries of advertising mailers were both encouraging home invasions and were also an environmental nuisance.

Will We Ever Have a Real Plastic Bag Ordinance?

CRC President appears before Chicago City Counsel to testify about a proposed ordinance to ban plastic bags outright.

How to Recycle Your Underwear (Really!)

CRC explains how to recycle unconventional materials

Household recycling to expand (Chicago Tribune, 2/20/2013)

Citywide Expansion of Blue Cart Recycling Begins(City of Chicago Press Release, 2/20/2013)

Huge Increase in amount of electronics being recycled in 2012(Pantograph.com, 1/10/2013)

Governor gives Grayslake girl good news on plastic bag ban(Chicago Tribune, 8/27/2012)

Emanuel: Rest of city will get curbside recycling by end of 2013 (Chicago Tribune, 4/5/2012)

Chicago Recycling Expansion: Mayor Emanuel Announces New Program (Huffington Post, 7/22/2011)

Skepticism Surrounds Chicago’s New Recycling Plan (Progress Illinois, 7/22/2011)

Emanuel hires private firms for city recycling (Chicago Tribune, 7/19/2011)

Environmentalists salute Daley, challenge next mayor to do more (Chicago Tribune, 1/19/2011)

To improve recycling, will Chicago turn to privatization? (Christian Science Monitor 10/23/2010)

Why Can’t Chicago Recycle? (Chicago Reader, 7/22/2010)

More Ridiculousness on City Recycling (Chicago Reader, 6/15/2010)

Aldermen vent on stalled recycling program but don’t reach agreement (Chicago Tribune, 6/7/2010)

Aldermen push for more blue cart recycling (Chicago Current, 6/7/2010)

Chicago launching new effort to get residents to recycle (Chicago Tribune 6/4/2010)